India keeper-batter Rishabh Pant lit up the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) during day 2 of the ongoing 5th Test of the BGT 2024. He smashed a 29-ball fifty in the Indian second innings and entertained the crowd with some breathtaking shots.
Australia had resumed their innings from 9/1 and thanks to 57 from debutant Beau Webster, 23 from Sam Konstas, and 21 from Alex Carey, posted 181 runs on the board in the first innings. This gave India a lead of 4 runs. Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna picked three wickets each, while Nitish Reddy and Jasprit Bumrah, who went off the field after lunch, picked 2 scalps each.
In reply, Indian batters then went after the ball and lost wickets quickly. Yashasvi Jaiswal (22), KL Rahul, and Shubman Gill made 13 each and Kohli fell for 6 runs. However, Rishabh Pant had other ideas as he began his knock with a six off the first ball off Scott Boland.
He continued the assault and even hit Mitchell Starc for two sixes in an over and reached his fifty in 29 balls. His fifty was also the fastest by a visiting batter on Australian soil surpassing 33-ball efforts by England's John Brown (Melbourne, 1895) and West Indies' Roy Fredericks (Perth, 1975).
Rishabh Pant captivated the fans with his strokeplay. He got out soon after scoring 61 runs in 33 balls, hitting 4 sixes and 6 fours in his knock.
India ended day 2 on 141/6 with a lead of 145 runs with 4 wickets to go.
